Apparatus for continuously centering a moving strip



38H @gxfil I A: Lj HI L May 1, 1962 H. c. MORROW 3,032,248

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CENTERING A MOVING STRIP Filed Jan. 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 T I I 36- l f36 o ,2 gawk giygzu Lg V1 iNVENTOR l HARRY C. MORROW #111 By wwwrwm I I 1 attorney y 1, 1962 H. c. MORROW 3,032,248

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CENTERING A MOVING STRIP Filed Jan. 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 7 HARRY C.MORROW g ggfiwi F 1 L;- 3 By attorney 1 United States Patent Ofifice 3,032,248 Patented May 1, 1962 3,032,248 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CENTERING A MOVING STRIP Harry C. Morrow, Bethel Borough, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 789,675 2 Claims. (Cl. 226-189) This invention relates to apparatus for continuously centering a moving strip and is particularly adapted for centering a metallic strip. Apparatus suitable for this purpose is disclosed in Lorig Patents Nos. 2,706,625, dated April 19, 1955, and 2,797,089, dated June 25, 1957. However, I have found that the apparatus disclosed in these patents does not operate to the best satisfaction when handling badly deformed, highly cambered strip such as cold reduced steel strip in unannealed condition, especially at high speeds.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide apparatus for continuously centering badly deformed, highly cambered strip.

This and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic elevation of my invention as applied to a strip accumulator;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on the line IIIIII of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of a roll used in my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the strip S passes from an uncoiler 2 around rolls 4, 6, 8 and 10 to a mechanical looper 12, such as shown in Lorig Patent No. 2,797,089. The strip S leaving the accumulator passes over rolls 14 and 16 to processing equipment 18 such as disclosed in the Lorig patents mentioned above. The framework of the mechanical looper or accumulator consists of four posts 22 connected at their bottoms in any suitable manner and at their tops by means of I-beams 24 and 26. Two spaced apart channels 28 arranged back to back extend between and are fastened to the top of beams 24 and 26. Arranged between the vertical posts 22 are two vertical guide posts 30 connected at their tops by means of I-beam 31 which also helps support the channels 28. A guide 32 attached to movable carriage 34 is arranged between the guide posts 30. Wire ropes 36 are attached to the guide 32 with the free end of each rope being attached to a counterweight 38. Each of the wire ropes 36 passes over a guide pulley 40 supported between the channels 28 and then over a similar guide pulley 42 supported at the end of channels 28. As shown in FIGURE 1, one of the wire ropes passes to the left and the other to the right of the accumulator. A plurality of rolls 44 are mounted in any suitable manner on the framework of the the bottom of the accumulator and a plurality of rolls 46 are mounted on the carriage 34. The rolls 10 and 14 are preferably self-centering rolls such as shown in Lorig Patents Nos. 2,592,581, 2,593,157 or 2,593,158, The rolls 8, 16, 44 and 46 are of the type shown in FIG- URE 4. This roll consists of a steel shaft 48 having a steel shell 50 mounted thereon. A covering 52 of flexible material is applied to the shell 50 adjacent the transverse center thereof. Covering 52 is preferably made of black neoprene of 60 to 65 durometer. Other types of flexible material may be used and the term rubber-like material will be used hereinafter to describe the various types of material used. The covering 52 provides a strip supporting surface which is preferably shaped as shown with a central peripheral groove 54 therein. For example, when handling steel strip thirty inches wide the strip supporting surface is eighteen inches wide and tapers inwardly to the center thereof ,3 of an inch. At each edge the covering tapers at 56 7 of an inch in a width of one and a half inches. The strip supporting surface 52 can also be cylindrical. For best operation the strip supporting surface 52 should be no greater than of the width of the strip passing thereover. The rolls 10 and 14 may also be of this type. It will be understood that not all of the rolls in the accumulator need be of the type shown in FIGURE 4 since self-centering or cylindrical rolls could be substituted for some of the rolls. It is necessary that the strip be wrapped around a substantial arc of the roll of FIGURE 4 so as to change the direction of travel of the strip. The strip should also be unconfined between rolls so that it can move laterally.

In operation, the strip passes under the roll 3 around a substantial arc thereof and up around the roll 10' and down to the first roll 44. The strip then passes in a tortuous path up and around successive rolls 44 and 46 as clearly shown in the drawings. The strip passes from the last roll 44 up and around roll 14 and then down around roll 16. The accumulator will normally operate with the carriage 34 in its upper full line position shown in FIG- URE 1. When it becomes necessary to stop the entry end of the line to attach another coil there will be sufficient strip accumulated in the entry accumulator 12 to permit the remaining part of the line to operate. The carriage 34 will gradually lower until it approaches its lowest position. Sufiicient strip is accumulated to enable the coil to be attached before all the accumulated strip runs out through the processing equipment 18. After the new coil is attached the entry end of the line will be speeded up until the carriage 34 is again in its upper position. Suflicient tension is applied to the strip to cause the covering 52 to move inwardly toward the groove 54. While the invention as shown is applied to a strip accumulator it will be undertood that it is applicable to other strip procesing equipment where the strip passes in a tortuous path over a plurality of rolls.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for continuously conveying strip comprising a plurality of rotatable rolls arranged in staggered relationship so that the strip passes thereover in a tortuous path, said strip passing successively around said rolls so that the amount of wrap of the strip around the rolls will be sufiicient to change the direction of travel of the strip, each of said rolls having a strip supporting surface of considerable less width than the width of the strip, a flexible material forming the outer surface of at least the central portion of the roll and having a single peripheral groove therein at the transverse center thereof for maintaining the strip centered, the strip supporting surface of said roll being formed by said flexible material and having its maximum diameter adjacent said groove, the edges of said flexible material tapering toward the axis of the roll away from the strip supporting surface.

2. Apparatus for continuously conveying strip comprising means for centering and aligning the strip laterally 6 of its pathtoftravel, a-plurality of rotatable rolls'on the exit side of said centering means and arranged in staggered relationship so that the strip passes thereover in a tortuous path, said strip passing successively around said rolls so that the amount of Wrap of the strip around the rolls will be suificient to change the direction of travel of the strip, each of said rolls having a strip supporting surface of considerable less Width than the Width of the strip, a flexible material forming thertouter surface of at least the central ,portiontof the roll and having a singleiperipheral groove therein at the transverse. center thereofrfor: maintaining the ,stripcentered, the stripsupporting surface of said roll beingformed by said flexible material and having; its maximum diameter. adjacent said groove, theredges of 2 said flexible material tapering toward the axis of the roll away from the strip supporting surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,592,581 Lorig Apr. 19, 1952 2,721,739 Mursch et a1 Oct. 25, 1955 2,772,879 Lorig Dec. 4, 1956 2,797,089 Lorig June 25, 1957 2,822,169 Lorig Feb. 4, 1958 2,854,235 Mursch Sept; 30, 1958 2,869,866 Lorig Ian. 20, 1959 

